Mofongo [Video+Recipe] Garlicky Fried Plantain
Learn how to make mofongo a very tasty plantain mash with pork and garlic mixed in that will become your new favorite.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 659kcal
Ingredients
For the beef broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound beef bones [0.45 kg] any type would do
- 1 tablespoon mashed garlic cloves
- 1 red onion halved
- 1 sprig cilantro
- 1 sprig of recao/cilantro ancho/culantro optional
- ¼ teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
- ¾ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
For the Puerto Rican mofongo
- 1 cup oil for frying (vegetable oil)
- 4 plantain (green, unripe) peeled (how to), cut into ¾" [2 cm] slices
- 1 pound pork cracklings (fried pork skin) minced
- 4 garlic cloves mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1½ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
For the old-style Dominican mofongo
- 4 plantain (green, unripe) unpeeled
- 1 pound pork cracklings (fried pork skin) minced
- 4 garlic cloves mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil (optional)
Instructions
1. Make the broth
- In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the beef bones being careful that it does not burn. Add the garlic and onion and stir. Pour in 4 cups of water, and add cilantro, cilantro ancho, and oregano.Boil for an hour over low heat, topping off the water every once in a while to maintain the same level.Season with salt to taste. Sieve and remove the solids.
2. Cook the plantains
- For Puerto Rican-style mofongo: Heat oil in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat and fry the plantain slices till golden brown all over (3-5 mins). Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel.For old-style Dominican mofongo: Wrap the plantains in aluminum foil. Bake plantains in a preheated oven at 400ºF [200ºC] for 35 minutes, or cook in an air fryer preheated to 350ºF [175ºC].Remove the plantains from the oven and let them cool down for 5 minutes. Carefully peel them.
3. Crush plantains
- Using a pilón (large mortar and pestle) or potato masher, crush the garlic and salt together, add in plantains and mash, then add pork cracklings and mash and crush to combine with the plantains (You might have to divide the ingredients and do it in 6 batches to fit in your pilón). It will have a dense consistency and more or less form a ball. If you made it with roasted plantains, mix it with the olive oil, because this mofongo mix is much dry than fried mofongo.
4. Serve
- Shape the mixture into 6 balls and place each in a small bowl.Place the balls into the serving plates, and garnish with the broth, that you'll use to pour over and moisten the mofongo balls.
Video
Notes
Add a sprinkle of black pepper to the broth, to enhance the taste.
If you have a deep fryer, you can use it to fry the plantains.
Nutrition
Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 921mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1725IU | Vitamin C: 30.2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1.4mg
